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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. L. ATKI'NS. LoGK TRIMMING.,

No. 420,854. Patentedfeb. 4, 1890.

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@WMM/wom' `(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. L. ATKINS. LOCK TRIMMING.

Patented Feb. 4, 1890.

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N. PETERS. Plmwumographcr. wuhingnm. D c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.t

JOSEPH L. ATKINS, OFVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOCK-ITRIMMING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,854, dated February 4, 1890.

Application filed October 30, 1889. Serial No. 328,661. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. ATKINS, of the city of Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvementsin Lock-Trimmings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide convenient means for readily removing a plate# such, for instance, as an escutcheon of a lookfrom a door,` or the like, to which it is fastcned.

Heretofore escutcheons and the like have been secured to doors by screws or other similar means, so that they could not be removed without danger of defacing them, except by a skilled workman, and then only at theeX- pense of considerable time and trouble.

In all situations where ornamental polishedmetal door-fixtures are used it is necessary, in order to preserve their luster and beauty, to scour them frequently. The consequence is, because these parts have been heretofore fixed in place, that the polishing' process soils the surface of thc wood or other material upon which they are placed, so that in the attempt to preserve the beauty of finish of the metal fixture that of the thing to which it was attached has been marred and the tine eect of the combination destroyed.

My invention is intended to permit the convenient separation of aplate or escutcheon from a door-for instance, for the purpose of polishing it-and of readily replacing it and securing` it inposition. By this means I prevent the soiling of the adjacent surfaces and at the same time provide for keeping the metal perfectly bright and clean.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical central section of my removable escutcheon secured to a door, the knob and keyescutcheon being shown in full. Fig. 2 indicates a view of the back part of the ornamental escutcheon detached. Fig. 3 indicates i a front elevation of the fixed plate detached. Fig. et shows a modification of my invention provided with lock and bolts for locking the escutcheon in position. Fig. 5 indicates a detached vertical section through one of the bolts, showing the relative position of the parts. Fig. G is a verticalcentral section of a modification of my invention as applied to an ordinary pull-bell.

- Referring to the letters upon the drawings, Aindicates a section of a door, and B a plate adapted to be secured by ordinary means upon it;

' C indicates'an ordinary lock-spindle projecting from the lock. It may be secured in the lock or slipped loosely through the hole usually provided for it in the lock. The spindlc iits into the socket D in the shank of the knob E, which is loosely carried on the plate or escutcheon F. The knob may be rotated or moved longitudinally toward the door-,but

is prevented from being withdrawn from .the

plate by the collar G, secured to it.

H indicates'a spring, which is designed to maintain the relations of the parts. It is seated at one end upon the plate F and bears at the other against a shoulderI in the shank of the knob.

Behind the plate F to the lugs K are pivoted at one endlinks L, which are pivoted at their other ends to levers M, mounted upon fulcrums N, secured to the inside of the plate F. The free ends of these levers take into recesses O in the bolts P.

Q indicates guide-slots in the bolts, and R guide-pins carried on the plate F and working therein.

S indicates two pairs of springs, each one of each pair being secured at one end to the plate F and bearing at its other end against one of the bolts P. Each of the bolts is provided with a'curved end T, adapted to latch under the plate B through the apertures U, provided therein. The surface of the door may be hollowed out to receive these latches, as indicated in the drawings at V, or the plate B might be indented from the inside, so as to allow the latches to engage with them without cutting the Wood; but this construction, being an obvious variation, is not shown in the drawings.

The key-escutcheon IV is, as usual, carried on the plate F and passes through the hole WV in the plate I3.' .v

The operation of my device is as follows: Suppose the parts to be secured in position on the door, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and a servant wishes to remove the plate from the door IOO to clean it, he simply presses on the knob,

which operates the levers M, and thereby causes the retraction of the bolts P, whereupon the plate F and the parts secured to it 5 may be readily removed. The spring H may be made of such strength as to resist any or-V dinary pressure on the knob and prevent the accidental unfastening of the bolt. v It is, tor an additional reason, desirable that it should be strong, in order to prevent tampering with the parts by meddlesome or evil-disposed persons. In some situations, however, it may be desirable to have the plate securely locked to the door; and I provide means for doing this, as shown in Fig. 4, in which a, indicates the rear end of the plug of an ordinary pintumbler lock of well-known construction, and b cams secured to it in the usual way, as proj ectin g from opposite sides of it. These cams engage with pins c, secured in pairs to each of the bolts d, which are secured by guides and slots in the ordinary way to the plate F, and are limited in their retracting motion by the pins e. When these means for operating the bolts are used, the latches f may be provided with beveled surfaces g, as indicated in Fig. 4, so that when the bolts are pressed into place, as they may be by the direct action of a suitable key, they produce a wedging action and draw the plate F very close to the face of the door and prevent the possibility ot its becoming loose. The knob and the key-escutcheon (it that is used instead of a key-hole, as shown in the drawings) are earried on the plate F, as shown in Fig. l, so that all the parts may be readily removed after the bolts have been retracted.

Where the knob is adapted to be pulled instead of rotatedas, for instance, in a bell pullit is necessary to provide special means for separating the outside ornamental parts from the door.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a device for the purpose, which consists of an ordinary foursided section of a pullh, which is permanently carried in the side of a wall or like part, and is provided at its outer end with a male screw-threaded projection t', upon which is screwed a box j, which moves in a socket k, and has its seat in the bottom Zot the same. The front end of this box is open and is adapted to receive the shank ot the knob on.

yn indicates bell-crank levers, which are fastened upon pivots in slots o in the side of the knob-shank. One arm of each of these levers extends toward the centerot the knobshank, which is hollow, and the other extends outwardly beyond the sides of the knobshank and latches into pockets as of thebox j.

p indicates a spring seated in the bottom of thc knob-shank, which tends to keep the outer ends oi the levers projecting beyond the edges ot the knobshank.

q indicates a pin extending longitudinally through the knob-shank, resting on its inner end against the levers n, and provided at its other end with a button 9^, which projects partially through a hole in the knob, but is too large to pass entirely out.

s indicates a spring. It bears at one end against a shoulder t within the knob-shank, and at its other end against the inside of the button fr, and tends to project it and the rod secured thereto through the knob.

wu indicates an ordinary escutcheon provided with a square orifice, in which the knob-shank fit-s. This escutcheon is secured, preferably because of the simplicity of construction, though other means might be substituted, by a single turn of a screw-thread to the internal screw-threaded plate 1:, secured to the wall in the ordinary way.

It it is desired to remove the outside parts to clean them, by pressing upon the button the knob is unlatched from the permanently located part of the pull, and may be released from it by withdrawing the knob a short distance. Then by turning the knob but a little way the whole fixture may be removed. It may be conveniently removed by first simply turning the escutcheon until it is set into the permanent plate, and then pushing the knob until it latches into the box.

Many variations of detail may be employed without departing from the scope ot my invention. I do not contine myself to the details of construction at all. I have only shown those forms which present themselves to my y mind at the present time as preferable em bodiments of the substanoelof my invention.

l. The combination, with a plate, of locking mechanism for securing the same to a door located back of said plate, and devices for operating said locking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with an escutcheon, of a knob and knob-shank carried thereon, and locking mechanism for detachably securing the escutcheon, knob, and knob-shank to a door located back ot the escutcheon, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a fixed plate adapted to be fastened to the side of a door or the like, of a `removable plate, locking mechanism for detachably securing the removable to the fixed plate located back of the removable plate, and devices for operating said locking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSEPH L. ATKINS. lVitnesses:

Trios. S. HOPKINS, NnLum Wn'riuonn.

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